Tine guiding device for crop pick-up

ABSTRACT

In a crop pick-up having spaced stripper bars forming a plurality of channels through which pick-up tines extend to gather the crops, a device is located for shifting a deflected tine from an adjacent channel into its proper channel.

United States Patent 1191 Fritz 1 51 Jan. 30, 1973 1541 TINE GUIDINGDEVICE FOR CROP 3,613,345 10/1971 Cofer ..56/364 PICKUP 2,732,678 1/1956Blaser et al ..S6/364 4 1 1 Edward Fmz, Hinsdale, i$3 1311351, 1123?:1.221321 Assgneel ggf 'gg w' Hammer FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONSFiled: Feb. 9, Great Britain [21] Appl. N -Z 224,818 PrimaryExaminerRussell R. Kinsey A1t0rneyFloyd B. Harman [52] U.S. Cl ..56/3641511 1m. (:1. ..A0ld 89/00 1 ABSTRACT [58] Fleld of Search ..56/364, 345In a crop Pickup having spaced Stripper b forming a plurality ofchannels through which pick-up tines exl56] References cued tend togather the crops, a device is located for shift- UNITED STATES PATENTSing a deflected tine from an adjacent channel into its proper channel.l,ll4,4l6 l0/l9l4 Tingley et al ..56/364 3,397,527 8/1968 Luck et al...56/364 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures J l 20 H-m--- -u1m..- i

TINE GUIDING DEVICE FOR CROP PICK-UP DISCUSSION OF THE ART Pick-updevices of the type under consideration comprise a pick-up drumrevolving about a horizontal axis and comprising a plurality ofoutstanding spring- 4 mounted or flexible tines. The tines track inslots formed between laterally spaced stripper bars which are wrappedabout the drum and form a crop-supporting deck above the drum. The tinesproject in front of the housing formed by the stripper formations andsweep from underneath the same into engagement with crops in front ofthe unit. Frequently, the tines encounter mounds of dirt, rocksprojecting or lying in the field and other obstructions. The tine isflexible and frequently is sprung and deflects into the housing formedby the stripper bars and is forced sidewise into the slot laterallyadjacent to the slot in which it is intended to operate. This maysimultaneously or sporadically occur with several tines such that theoperational capabilities of the unit are reduced and if the misalignedtracking is continued, even for a short time, causes strippers to wearand tines to wear and break off. No correcting or realigning devices arepresently available, as far as is known to applicant, for forcing such adisplaced time into its proper track.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a novel means fordisplacing a tine from an improper track into which it had been forcedinto its proper track.

The invention contemplates the provision of a novel camming means on thestrippers forming the drum enclosure and positioning these camming meansin the region of the return sweep of the tines in the path of movementof the displaced tines and operative to cam these tines out of theimproper tracks so that their inherent self-righting resiliency willcause them, with the assist of the camming means, to return to theirproper tracks.

A further object is to provide a novel camming assembly of simple andeffective form which will not interfere with the normal operation of thepick-up unit.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed bythe invention will become more apparent from the specification and thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional harvester pick-updevice incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line22 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of the pick-up housing takengenerally on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the stripperassembly and drum showing a crossed tine;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view comparable to FIG. 5 showing a modified form of theinvention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view taken substantially on line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

I 2 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. l6

The invention is disclosed in association with a pickup device generallydesignated 2 of a conventional forage harvester. The pick-up device islocated at the front of a platform structure 3 having upright side walls4 and 5 with ground runners 6 and 7. A rear wall structure 8interconnects the side walls 4 and 5 and has a central crop dischargeopening 10. The walls 4, 5 and 8 are connected to the ends and rear edgerespectively of a solid bottom wall or deck 11 fragmentarily shown inFIG. 2.

An auger'conveyor 12 is positioned over the solid deck 11 and with itsflights l4 and 15, operates to move the crops centrally to a paddle l6fixed on the auger core 17 for discharge of the crop material into thedischarge opening 10 whereat the material is conveyed to associatedprocessing mechanism such as a chopper, for example, as well known tothose skilled in the art.

The pick-up 2 is disposed ahead of the auger in feeding relation theretoand comprises a material support structure, housing or enclosure 19 inthe form of a plurality of stripper bars 20 which are wrapped about aconveyor head or pick-up drum 22. Each stripper has a lower portion 23which angles downwardly and forwardly fromthe deck chordally withrespect to the axis X (FIG. 2) of rotation of the drum 22 and merges atits lower forward end into the lower end of an arcuate front portion 24which is curved concentric with respect to the axis X. The upper end ofthe portion 24 is directed rearwardly and merges into the front end of astraight upper or top portion 25. The portions 25 which are generallyhorizontal and form a deck extension generally designated 26.

The drum comprises a center shaft 28 suitably mounted from the sidewalls 4 and 5 and driven in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 2 byany well known means. The shaft 28 is connected to a plurality ofaxially spaced annular supporting disks or plates 29, which areperipherally pivotally connected to axially extending support bars 30which are in the form of angle irons having their flanges '31, 32diverging outwardly and forming a pocket 33 therebetween which admitsthe root end spring portions 34 of tines 35.

The tines 35 are made of spring steel and the spring portions 34 arehelical springs which lay within the pockets 33 and extend axially ofthe drum. The springs 34 are connected at one of their ends to the tinefingers 35 whichproject outwardly from the drum through the respectiveslots or channels 37 which are defined by the strippers. Each finger 35has an end portion 39 which is angled in a leading direction to increasethe aggressiveness of the tine. The spring portions 34 areinterconnected by a tie bar 36 which is secured by a bolt and nutassembly 41 to the flange 32.

Each stripper is reinforced by a U-shaped brace or bracket 40 which hasa base portion 42. Sections 23 are secured by bolts 43 to the lowersection 40 of the respective braces. Legs 44, 45 of'each brace 40 haveflanges 46, 47 which attach at spaced points as at 44' and 45' to therespective upper section.

One of the principal features of the invention is in the provision ofrealigning or cam means 50 on each stripper bar. Each cam means comprisea leg or prong 51 secured to the bottom section of the respectivestripper. The legs 51 are connected to or are integral with the baseportion of a flat sheet of material as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each cammeans comprises an upstanding leg 52 with upwardly converging cam orfulcrum surfaces 53, 54 which are adapted to engage a crossed tineintermediate its ends as at 55 as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 so that the tinemay slide downwardly to the contiguous cam side edge surface 57 or 58where the tine is fulcrumed at 59 and deflected from a crossed-overposition as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6 to a normal operating position ofFIG. 1. It will be observed that the camming action takes place duringthe return position of the orbit of the tine in a location where thetine is not in the crop and wherein the strippers are of reduced widthas at 60 and the side edges 61, 62 of the stripper portions 23 divergerearwardly from the normal slot width. This promotes tine deflectionlaterally as best seen in FIG. 5 and permits the tine to be cammed intothe appropriate slot or track 37.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGS. 7 AND 8 In this embodiment, parts similar to thatpreviously shown are identified by the same reference numerals. ln thisembodiment, each cam 100 consists of a round washer 101 whichperipherally projects at 102, 103 into the adjacent slots in the area oftheir convergence at 65. The position of the cam is the same as in theprevious embodiment and in addition to the circular member 100,comprises a bolt and nut assembly 105, 106, the assembly adapted tointercept the crossedover shank and to fulcrum it as at 107 (FIG. 7)into the appropriate slot.

it will be realized that in each embodiment the tines and their mountingbars are cammed and cause the tines to withdraw at the rear of the deckinto the housing and afterentering the housing the fingers trail therespective mounting bar and then are cammed in the lower segment oftheir orbit to project through the lower sections 23 so that theycontinue to trail as seen in FIG. 2 and then pitch upwardly on theforward side as well known.

Having described several preferred modifications of the invention whichare intended to disclose the best mode of applying the inventions, itwill be understood that such disclosures are only by way of illustrationand not limitations and the scope hereof is intended to be limited asset forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a crop pick-up for a harvester having a frame,

said crop pick-up comprising a drum supported by said frame androtatable about a generally horizontal axis and having outstanding tinesarranged in axially spaced rows, an enclosure supported on said framefor the drum and comprising laterally spaced stripper bars wrapped;about the drum and forming channels therebetween, said channels alignedwith said axially spaced rows of tines such that said tines extendthrough said channels, said tines being flexible and capable of beingdeflected from their respective channels into adjacent channels, andmeans cooperative with the deflected tines for realigning the deflectedtines into the appropriate respective channels attendant to rotation ofthe drum, said means for realigning the deflected tines comprising aflat sheet of material having a base portion, a plurality ofspacedprqngs extendmg from said base portion and terminating inangularly disposed free ends, means securing said flat sheet of materialand said spaced prongs to said stripper bars and to said frame to thusstabilize and connect adjacent stripper bars, said realigning meanscomprising cams formed on said free ends having cam surfaces adjacenrespective channels.

2. The invention according to claim 1 and said stripper bars havinglower sections extending beneath the drum, and said cams located on saidlower sections and means for rotating the drum in a direction moving thedrum forwardly along said lower sections and said displaced tines intrailing relation to their area of connection with the drum.

3 The invention according to claim 1 and said realigning means locatedbeneath the drum and operative in a segment of the orbit of the tineswhen said tines are not in engagement with the crop material.

4. The invention according to claim 1 and said tines having coil springroot ends accommodating universal angling movements of the respectivetines and said strippers having bottom segments beneath the drumextending generally tangentially to the path of rotation of the drum,and said realigning means comprising cam elements located on said bottomsegments adjacent to the periphery of the drum in the path of saiddeflected tines.

5. The invention according to claim 1 and said realigning meanscomprising cams located in an area of said enclosure remote from thecrop-engaging areas thereof and said channel being of limited wideneddimension upstream of said cams to accommodate deflection of thedeflected tines as they engage the respective cams.

1. In a crop pick-up for a harvester having a frame, said crop pick-upcomprising a drum supported by said frame and rotatable about agenerally horizontal axis and having outstanding tines arranged inaxially spaced rows, an enclosure supported on said frame for the drumand comprising laterally spaced stripper bars wrapped about the drum andforming channels therebetween, said channels aligned with said axiallyspaced rows of tines such that said tines extend through said channels,said tines being flexible and capable of being deflected from theirrespective channels into adjacent channels, and means cooperative withthe deflected tines for realigning the deflected tines into theappropriate respective channels attendant to rotation of the drum, saidmeans for realigning the deflected tines comprising a flat sheet ofmaterial having a base portion, a plurality of spaced prongs extendingfrom said base portion and terminating in angularly disposed free ends,means securing said flat sheet of material and said spaced prongs tosaid stripper bars and to said frame to thus stabilize and connectadjacent stripper bars, said realigning means comprising cams formed onsaid free ends having cam surfaces adjacent respective channels.
 1. In acrop pick-up for a harvester having a frame, said crop pick-upcomprising a drum supported by said frame and rotatable about agenerally horizontal axis and having outstanding tines arranged inaxially spaced rows, an enclosure supported on said frame for the drumand comprising laterally spaced stripper bars wrapped about the drum andforming channels therebetween, said channels aligned with said axiallyspaced rows of tines such that said tines extend through said channels,said tines being flexible and capable of being deflected from theirrespective channels into adjacent channels, and means cooperative withthe deflected tines for realigning the deflected tines into theappropriate respective channels attendant to rotation of the drum, saidmeans for realigning the deflected tines comprising a flat sheet ofmaterial having a base portion, a plurality of spaced prongs extendingfrom said base portion and terminating in angularly disposed free ends,means securing said flat sheet of material and said spaced prongs tosaid stripper bars and to said frame to thus stabilize and connectadjacent stripper bars, said realigning means comprising cams formed onsaid free ends having cam surfaces adjacent respective channels.
 2. Theinvention according to claim 1 and said stripper bars having lowersections extending beneath the drum, and said cams located on said lowersections and means for rotating the drum in a direction moving the drumforwardly along said lower sections and said displaced tines in trailingrelation to their area of connection with the drum. 3 The inventionaccording to claim 1 and said realigning means located beneath the drumand operative in a segment of the orbit of the tines when said tines arenot in engagement with the crop material.
 4. The invention according toclaim 1 and said tines having coil spring root ends accommodatinguniversal angling movements of the respective tines and said strippershaving bottom segments beneath the drum extending generally tangentiallyto the path of rotation of the drum, and said realigning meanscomprising cam elements located on said bottom segments adjacent to theperiphery of the drum in the path of said deflected tines.